Nutrition During Pregnancy: Folic Acid and Preventing Spina Bifida

Nutrition During Pregnancy

During pregnancy all nutrients are important to both the mother and the development of the baby. Special attention should be given to foods that are rich in iron, calcium, essential fats, and folic acid.

What is Folic Acid?

Folic acid is the man-made version of a B vitamin that are also known as folate or folacin. We need folic acid because it helps our body to make new cells. Folic acid also helps to protect babies from developing neural tube defects (NTDs). NTDs is a serious birth defects that may need life long medical attention and, more seriously, causing death at birth.

NTDs occurs before most woman realize that they are pregnant, between the 3rd and 4th week after becoming pregnant. There are two major types of NTDs: Anencephaly and Spina Bifida.

Two Major Types of Neural Tube Defects: Anencephaly and Spina Bifida

Anencephaly

Anencephaly is the partial or complete absence of the baby's brain. Most babies with this birth defect are stillborn or die soon after birth

Spina Bifida

Spina bifida occurs when there is an opening of the spine. This happen when one or more vertebrae (the bones that form the backbone) fail to form properly leaving a gap or a split which cause damage to the central nervous system.

To prevent further damage, babies born with spina bifida need to have surgery shortly after birth to close the spine. Because the nerve damage is permanent, babies with spina bifida may have varying degrees of paralysis of the lower limbs.

In addition to lacking feeling in their legs and later develop walking problems, spina bifida can also cause learning disabilities, and some babies may have mental retardation.

Folic Acid and Preventing Spina Bifida

Taking folic acid supplement everyday can reduce the risk of spina bifida in unborn babies. Women of childbearing age should take folic acid supplement daily.

Because neural tube defects occurs before most women know that they are pregnant, taking folic acid prior to becoming pregnant and through the early weeks of pregnancy (approximately 12 weeks) can reduce the risk of NTDs in babies.

It is a safe and an effective way for most women to prevent neural tube defects in their babies by taking 0.4 mg of folic acid every day. The best way to ensure that you're getting adequate amount of folic acid is to take a daily multivitamin pill that contains this amount of folic acid.

For those who have family history of neural tube defects, these women may need to take more than 0.4 mg.

Folic Acid Side Effects

It is rare to have an allergic reaction to folic acid. Reaction to folic acid can cause itching, rash, and general discomfort.

Pregnancy Nutrition and Folic Acid

Folic acid is only one of the may nutrients that is needed for good health, attention should still be given to other vitamins and minerals. Eating healthy and good nutrition before and during pregnancy is an important step to ensure babies are born healthy.

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